The iAwards: Honouring ICT Industry’s Finest

For the past 25 years, the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) has been driving an innovation nation through the iAwards program. Australia's longest running and most broadly scoped innovation recognition program, the iAwards promotes excellence in the Australian digital ecosystem that is making a difference. The iAwards has unearthed, recognised and rewarded excellence in Australian innovation from the likes of Google Maps, Atlassian, Wotif and WiseTech Global.

From the radical reinvention of the humble coffee cup, through to teams improving vision for people with macular degeneration; from businesses highlighting gender diversity to those creating better outcomes for autistic students; from advances in telecommunications, cybersecurity, agricultural productivity and data analytics to trusted public sector open data platforms - to name just a few innovations that have come through us. The depth and breadth of Australian innovation surfaced in the iAwards continues to inspire us all.

Shining a Light on Innovation

An example of Australian innovation at its finest, is Dr Sara Khalifa’s KEH-Sense technology, which won an iAward in 2017. Dr Khalifa, a research scientist at Data61|CSIRO, has extensive experience in pervasive and mobile computing, smart wearables, IoT and energy harvesting. Wearable devices are essential in industries such as healthcare, positioning, tracking, transportation and fitness. However, a major challenge for wearables is the battery. Continuous sampling of device sensors, computational classifiers and transmitters all rapidly deplete the battery.

“The iAwards is the most inclusive and recognised innovation awards program in Australia and it was an honour to be recognised among Australia’s best innovations. The iAwards gave my innovation the publicity and industry exposure it needed. It was an excellent opportunity to build relationships with active investors, peers and like-minded technology enthusiasts.”

- Dr Sara Khalifa, KEH-Sense, Data61|CSIRO

The iAwards Journey

The iAwards program operates in all Australian states and territories, including West Australia via WAITTA's Incite Awards and Tasmania with the support of TasICT. Entries are first judged on a state level, after which the State and Territory Awards winners and merit recipients progress to compete at the National iAwards, the pinnacle event of the iAwards calendar.

National iAwards winners and merit recipients then have the option to take the international stage at the Asia Pacific ICT Awards. As the only truly international ICT awards in Australia, winners of the National iAwards have the opportunity to support home-grown talent, compete with businesses from across the Asia Pacific region and achieve international exposure.

With the support and participation of 16 member countries from the Asia Pacific region, the annual APICTA competition, where all entrants are already winners of ICT related award schemes in member economies, is regarded as a quality, prestigious and ‘best-of-the-best’ award. It offers top innovators and technologies the opportunity to shine on a global platform, and pitch for the chance to receive a highly coveted international ICT award.

Dr Sara Khalifa said of her participation and victory at the 2017 Asia Pacific ICT Awards:

“I was incredibly proud to show the creative and pioneering ideas that our nation produces. In fact, the whole iAwards experience was very beneficial to me personally and professionally. I got great feedback from high-profile, industry-leading judges. I also gained a new drive with regards to my research, and a better sense of how ‘applied research’ bridges the gap between academia and industry. Attending the Gala dinner events at a state, national and international level gave me an excellent opportunity to meet and build relationships with active investors, peers and like-minded technology enthusiasts.”

Help Celebrate 25 Years of Innovation

This year the iAwards is celebrating its 25th anniversary. As we gear up to celebrate this milestone, we’d like to invite you to become an iAwards Partner or Sponsor. Partnering with the iAwards connects your organisation with leaders and executives within Australia's digital economy – whether end customers, major vendors, industry stakeholders, media or government.

Associating with the iAwards also enables you to profile your organisation as a partner of the AIIA, the peak industry body for the digital economy in Australia. Moreover, an alliance with the well-established iAwards brand enables you to demonstrate your company's commitment to supporting local R&D, innovation and exemplary business outcomes achieved through digital advancements.

iAwards sponsorship broadens your exposure across industry via the dynamic and multifaceted iAwards promotional campaign. Don’t miss out on the unique opportunity to capitalise on a wealth of customer engagement opportunities, with more senior buyers of ICT than ever before expected to participate across our various state and national judging activities and events.

View the National iAwards Sponsorship Prospectus for information on our various sponsorship packages. For further information on iAwards sponsorship, bespoke packages and partnership opportunities, please contact Kerryn Nelson: